Random Facebook requests always end badly: Just ignore them. Kate Kleinert accepted one from “Tony,” who claimed to be a surgeon working in Iraq. It wasn’t long until Tony needed money, and Kate sent him $40,000. Shocker, the day they were supposed to meet, Tony was a no-show. Kate’s a widow. I know this is tough, but when someone passes away, rethink the need for a public obituary. Scammers target folks in mourning.
How to find a hidden GPS tracker on your car
Photo 232030196 © Ifeelstock | Dreamstime.com
The latest stats say 80% of stalking victims are tracked using tech. One of the most popular ways to do it? GPS trackers, like an AirTag. They’re small enough to slip into a bag, pocket or your car undetected.
“Kim, this doesn’t impact me.” I wish that was true. Maybe you have an ex or friend who won’t buzz off, or maybe you met a stranger at a bar or store who was acting creepy. You’re at risk. Did you drive across the U.S. border? Yep, crooks are targeting tourists, too.
The good news is your phone can alert you when an unknown tracker is with you. If all else fails, good old-fashioned sleuthing works, too. I’ll show you how.
⏰ The clock is ticking
An AirTag will start beeping only after 24 hours away from its owner. That gives the stalker plenty of time to reach you, especially if they’re local. If a carjacker tags your ride, they could learn your routine and follow you home before you even know what’s going on.
The rumor mill says Apple’s AirTags 2, coming later this year, will have antistalking tech. With the most current AirTags, tech-savvy stalkers can rip out the built-in speaker so you won’t get alert, but the new ones should make it harder. For now, you need to do everything you can to stay safe.
On your iPhone, make sure a few settings are enabled:
- Go to Settings > Notifications > Tracking Notifications and toggle on Allow Notifications.
- Now, open your Find My app and tap Items at the bottom of the screen. Tap on Identify Found Item.
On Android, the process is similar as long as your phone is running Android 6.0 or newer. If it’s not, you really need a new phone!
- To make sure alerts are enabled, go to Settings > Safety & Emergency > Find Unknown Tracker Alerts. Toggle on Allow Alerts.
✅ You need to make sure your location and Bluetooth settings are enabled, too.
On iPhone:
36%
More videos posted to LinkedIn than this time last year. Vertical-view videos (think TikTok or Instagram Reels) are so popular, you can now view them on desktop and not just mobile. My advice: Go short and sweet, nothing too scripted. Hiring? Post a job free with my link!
💰 The latest on the TikTok ban: Mr. Wonderful, Larry Ellison, Walmart, and a slew of other people and companies want to buy TikTok. Here’s a twist: President Trump just created a “sovereign wealth fund” good for anything from building airports and highways to writing a check for $100 billion to buy TikTok. Wealthy, smaller countries like Norway and Singapore have them, but this is new for the U.S.
21
How many years it took to debunk this study. Ever heard sparkling water helps you lose weight? That came from a 2004 study that wasn’t even about sparkling water. Sorry, carbonation in your blood won’t boost your metabolism. If your sparkling water loses its bubbles, that’s all right. It’s still water. (I heard that groan all the way here in Phoenix!)
A pill to fight cancer: I hate cancer, so I love this news. A new drug called AOH1996 targets breast, prostate, brain, ovarian and other types of cancers. It goes after a protein mutation once called “undruggable” that fuels cancerous cell growth. AOH1996 kills off the bad cells and leaves healthy ones alone. They’re gearing up now for the first phase of human trials. Be sure to tell anyone who has cancer this major development in making this horrible disease a history lesson.
🛍️ It’s not a dad bod; it’s a father figure: When using Facebook Marketplace, switch to a woman’s account. Allison Thomison says her husband was trying to rescue a dog from a dangerous situation, and he only convinced its owner once he switched to his wifey’s account. Now, with her permission, he uses her account to score deals, like a $250 Peloton bike. He flirts and uses emojis in his negotiations. Imagine how disappointed guys are when he shows up instead of his cute wife.
“Sorry to bother you, but do you order on Amazon?” Move along if you see this line or a slight variation in your inbox. If you respond, some jerk will try to convince you they have Amazon gift cards they’ll trade you for cash. The scammers never sleep.
$11.99
Monthly price for Amazon Music Unlimited after the latest $1 hike. The Family Plan went up $3 to $19.99 a month, or $199 a year. Sick of paying an arm and a leg for subscriptions? No kidding, the first time I logged into Rocket Money, it saved me $360.
🪦 Microsoft is killing off its free VPN: Not enough people use it, and they want to “invest in new areas.” Funny how they can’t do both after hiking their subscription prices. Need a new VPN? Never go looking for free options — too risky. Try my pick.
One curse word breaks AI: Sick of the crappy AI Overviews in your Google Search results? There’s an easy workaround: Add a swear word. Seriously, type “How do I factory reset my iPhone?” and you’ll get a generic blurb. Change it to “How do I f *ing factory reset my iPhone?” (without the asterisks) and you’ll get normal, clickable results. For an equally effective but less fun option, add -ai to the end of your search.
Hey, overachievers: OpenAI’s new “deep research” ChatGPT agent is like a super-smart assistant that does all the work for you. It digs through multiple sources and creates a full report about whatever you want. It’s included in the $20 Pro tier for now and takes up to 30 minutes per search. Want to try it? Select Deep research in the composer.
🚗 Wow, 300,000 recalled: Some Honda and Acura models have software issues that can cause you to stall out while driving. Select Subaru, Toyota and Lexus models have major faults, too. Don’t wait for a letter in the mail. Run your VIN through the NHTSA database. It takes just a sec to make sure your ride is safe.
📦 Don’t scan it: Watch your porch or mailbox for a fake UPS delivery notice or InfoNotice. Yep, they’re the ones that say “Sorry we missed you,” but the fakes have a shady QR code. Scan that code and you’ll land on a phishing site. Someone on Reddit got one claiming they owed $81.45, and it came with a handwritten note from the “driver” asking them to “please pay online.” If you have delivery issues, go straight to ups.com/track.
$1.6 billion
DeepSeek’s actual development cost, according to a new report. The Communist China AI company lied when it said its ChatGPT-killer cost $5.6 million, including testing and gear. Still, it’s 30 times cheaper to run, and that’s huge.
$65,000
Potential bill for the guy who flew his drone straight into the wing of a plane battling the Palisades Fire. The plane was grounded as a result. He’s now pleading guilty to flying the DJI drone beyond the legal limits and will have to complete 150 hours of community service if the court accepts his plea. Fool
🪑 Fidgeting at your desk? Science says that’s your body’s way of telling you to get off your butt. Even if you feel comfortable, sitting too long can cause pain and mess with your concentration. Every 30 minutes, stand up and stretch, or at least switch your seating positions. You’ll boost your blood flow, lower stress and even keep your brain sharp. And no more cankles!
Attention, parents: New research says 77% of educators think kids are losing their fine motor skills because of tech. Kids aren’t playing outside as much or using their hands to draw and build, so they’re having trouble holding pens, turning pages and tying shoelaces (paywall link). Remember, Play-Doh is cheap, fun and doesn’t need Wi-Fi.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Think you’re being cheated on? I told you to check the Notes app a year ago. Now, a private investigator is going viral on TikTok with the same advice. Yes, the Notes app is the same one for grocery lists. PSA: Cheaters also use a password-protected Google Doc, too.
Free AI test drive: You need to start using AI in your business before it’s too late. Take a free test drive of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure now at Oracle.com/kim.